beneficial insect

Published on August 26, 2019

Select updates from our team of restoration ecologists, entomologists, plant ecologists, and researchers. August’s featured staff conducted a successful pollinator habitat workshop in Nebraska, and have been busy building beetle banks in Iowa.

Published on August 15, 2019

Join Stanton Gill of University of Maryland Extension, Nancy Lee Adamson of the Xerces Society, and other instructors for a day-long Integrated Pest Management Symposium. Nancy’s program caps the day highlighting native grasses, wildflowers, shrubs, and trees that attract pollinators, predators and parasitoids to improve production and reduce pesticide use. She will also discuss cover crops, annuals, and herbs that also support wildlife diversity and help prevent pest outbreaks.

Published on July 5, 2019

Fireflies are some of our most well-loved insects—yet their numbers appear to be dwindling. One likely driver for this decline is light pollution. Put simply, fireflies need dark nights. This is the theme of this year’s World Firefly Day; read on for information on how to support the conservation of these beloved beetles!

Published on June 27, 2019

June’s featured staff share their work with inspiring partners spanning large-scale agriculture, to family farms, to a unique urban agriculture fellowship program. These stories are from all across the country, from central Washington, to Wisconsin, to Virginia.

Published on May 22, 2019

Join Phyllis Stiles, Bee City USA Founder and Pollinator Champion with the Xerces Society, and Nancy Adamson, Senior Pollinator Conservation Specialist with the Xerces Society, along with about 30,000 bug-loving friends for a Raleigh tradition! Phyllis and Nancy will host a kid-friendly table about pollinators. North Carolina’s Museum of Natural Sciences hosts over 100 exhibits, crafts, games and activities. Meet entomologists and other scientists and learn about the fascinating world of bugs. You can visit Café Insecta to sample buggy dishes prepared by local chefs. Free and everyone is welcome!

Published on May 15, 2019

The Xerces Society and the Center for Biological Diversity have submitted a joint petition for the emergency listing of the Bethany Beach firefly (Photuris bethaniensis)—with a request for the concurrent designation of critical habitat—under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA).

Published on April 30, 2019

April’s featured staff are all Farm Bill Pollinator Conservation Planners, and are spread across the country—driving the adoption of cover cropping in California, guiding blueberry farmers to become more pollinator-friendly in Maine, and raising awareness of the importance of rangeland for pollinator conservation in North Dakota.

Published on April 23, 2019

In a home garden, the Xerces Society urges people to consider non-chemical pest management. To meet this challenge, please consider spending Earth Week in the garden, enjoying the diversity of insects, and taking a few of the actions outlined below to simultaneously minimize pest problems and avoid the use of pesticides.

Published on April 10, 2019

The Xerces Society’s blog post “Picking Plants for Pollinators: The Cultivar Conundrum” highlighted the lack of research on this topic, which limits our ability to make informed choices regarding the use of cultivars for supporting pollinators and other beneficial insects. To help address this knowledge gap, Budburst launched the Nativars research project in 2018.

Published on March 21, 2019

The 2019 Xerces Society Division 1 Beneficial Invertebrate Championship was a wild ride, with many upsets—and, of course, at the heart of it was the opportunity to learn about a wide array of fascinating creatures.

Published on February 25, 2019

Published on December 10, 2018

As the leaves and temperatures drop, it might be tempting to forget about your pollinator garden until spring. But don’t call it quits just yet! While it may seem like the bees have vanished for the year, they haven’t actually gone anywhere.

Published on October 10, 2018

We owe our beautiful autumn apple harvest to invertebrates—pollinators and beneficial insects alike. No matter how you obtain your apples—whether you pick them yourself, grab them at the grocery store, or go bobbing for them—it is important to take a moment to remember the invertebrates that make this delicious harvest possible.

Published on June 2, 2017

After a long winter, the arrival of spring has many of us cheering. Ephemeral wildflowers, budding trees, and chirping birds are all welcome signs of nature breaking dormancy. For most people, the sights and sounds of the landscape coming back to life invokes a sense of happiness. The sight of the brown marmorated stink bug Read more …

Published on October 28, 2015

Edward Gorey, the artist and author famous for his dark imagery, was a great advocate of animals, large and small, all over the world. The Xerces Society receives support through his legacy at the Edward Gorey Charitable Trust. Please enjoy this surreal tale of conservation biological control, inspired by Gorey’s The Doubtful Guest, first published in Read more …

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